Species Highlights: Purple Pincher (Coenobita clypeatus)

This is the first “Species Highlights” post, so I hope all of my readers will enjoy it!

Purple Pincher (Coenobita clypeatus) hermit crabs are found throughout the Caribbean Islands and the entire area of the West Indies. Purple Pinchers are commonly known for their large, purple big pincher.

Where the average temperature is between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit and the humidity level is usually 60% to 85%, you can see how these land hermit crabs require a tropical climate at home, and not a kritter keeper that is cool and not damp.

Purple Pinchers are unlike other land hermit crabs in that they are usually a hardier species than the other land hermit crabs that exist. Purple Pinchers seem to endure slightly tougher conditions.

Purple Pinchers come in ranges from tan (while they’re young), to purple, red, burgundy, mahogany, or blue as an adult. They can be anywhere from the size of a dime to the size of a large apple. Some Purple Pinchers can even live long enough to be 35!

Purple Pinchers don’t truly need any special care compared to the other species of land hermit crabs, but they require the basic necessities you can find on the HCC. Purple Pinchers can be a fun species to watch as they will usually be a little active in the day and quite active at night in your crabitat.

As an owner of many Purple Pinchers myself, I can tell you that they are a great species of land hermit crab to own and also the most abundant here in the United States. They molt well and they are always around the tank somewhere. The smaller ones seem to be more active than the larger ones, but they are all great overall!

The best thing about Purple Pinchers is the range of colors that they display. Although they are common to buy in the United States, other countries think of them as an exotic species. If you are a hermit crab lover and crave other species of land hermit crabs, definitely look at your Purple Pinchers a bit harder - they are great, too!